Board Rules Huron School District Deal With Opsal Should Be Made Public

HURON, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota officials say a secret agreement to pay $175,000 to a former Huron school superintendent should be open to the public.  The order from the state Office of Hearing Examiners says the district must release a copy of the settlement contract with Ross Opsal.  The deal resulted in the district making monthly payments to Opsal after he resigned in March 2011.  Dave Bordewyk, general manager of the South Dakota Newspaper Association, says people want to know how their taxpayer dollars are being spent and the decision affirms those expectations.  Rodney Freeman, the school district’s attorney, could not be reached for comment.